La Tomatina
The Biggest and Longest Food Fight, in Buñol Spain
Every year, Buñol hosts La Tomatina, the world's largest vegetable fight. Situated only 30 kilometers inland from the Mediterranean Sea, and well-connected by motorway and rail to Madrid and Valencia, this charming town erupts into a fiery blaze of tomato-hurling on the last Wednesday of every August. The "batalla" takes place during a week-long celebration filled with on-going festivities and with even greater anticipation for the monstrous tomato battle that serves as the culmination of the week's events. During the forties, in Buñol's main town square, a number of friends started a tomato fight for unknown reasons. It's unclear whether the initial volley was aimed at city officials or simply pedestrians unlucky enough to be in the line of fire. For a week leading up to the epic battle, the 20,000-strong town of Buñol, is filled with parades, fireworks, food and street parties. The night before La Tomatina, the narrow streets beneath the town's imposing Medieval bell tower are filled with tomatoes, in a much more palatable form than they will be the next day! Cauldrons of delectable paella cooking, simmered traditionally over wood-burning fires line the Concurso des Paellas, near the Plaza del Pueblo, site of the imminent skirmishes.
RANDOM FACTS!!!!
- Celebrated on the last Wednesday of the month of August.
- There is no political or religious significance to La Tomatina, it's just good, messy fun.
- Participants who show up from around the world: 20,000.
- Number of tomatoes used: 150,000 ...that's over 90,000 pounds of tomatoes!
- Dan Quayle's plural of tomato: tomatoees.
- Buckets of water are thrown at the crowds first by the fight instigators in the tomato trucks, as a foreshadowing of the veggie barrage to come.
- After the battle, you can hose off the splatter on the riverbank, where the town slaps together makeshift public showers.
- Every year, the fight is nationally televised by the most prestigious agencies in Spain.
Created by: Quiq's